J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Canadian GM and DaimlerChrysler Assembly Plants Receive Top Quality Awards

Redesigned Initial Quality Study Shows That Vehicle Design Plays as Critical a Role in Consumer Perceptions of Quality as Defects and Malfunctions. TORONTO, June 7 - The General Motors Oshawa No.2 assembly plant in Ontario receives the Gold Plant Quality Award for producing vehicles with the fewest number of defects among car and truck assembly plants in North and South America, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) released today. DaimlerChrysler's Windsor, Ontario, plant ties with Toyota's Georgetown, Ky., plant for the Silver Plant Quality Award."Canadian plants have again demonstrated that they are competitive, not only in terms of productivity, but also in terms of quality," said Richard Cooper, executive director of J.D. Power and Associates' Canadian operations. "This will be an important issue, as Canada (and particularly Ontario) seeks to continue its recent successes in winning investment dollars in the highly competitive North American production environment."This is the second consecutive year GM's Oshawa No.2 plant has received the prestigious Gold award. The plant, which produces the Buick Allure/LaCrosse and Pontiac Grand Prix, averages just 43 problems per 100 (PP100) vehicles.DaimlerChrysler's Windsor plant receives a PP100 score of 47. The plant produces the Pacifica, Town & Country, Caravan and Grand Caravan models.Several Canadian-produced models rank within the top three of their respective segments in the study. They are:

• « Toyota Corolla (Toyota's Cambridge, Ontario, plant) ranks highest in the compact car segment
• Honda Civic (Honda's Alliston, Ontario, plant) ranks third in the compact car segment
• Chevrolet Monte Carlo (GM's Oshawa No.1, Ontario, plant) ranks third among midsize sporty cars
• Pontiac Grand Prix (GM's Oshawa No.2, Ontario, plant) ranks highest in the large car segment¸
• Honda Ridgeline (Honda's Alliston, Ontario, plant) ranks second in the midsize pickup segment
• Lexus RX 330/RX 400h (Toyota's Cambridge, Ontario, plant) ranks third among midsize premium multi-activity vehicles (MAV) »

Other 2006 Plant Quality Award Recipients Magna Steyr, owned by Toronto-based Magna International Inc., receives the Gold Plant Quality Award in Europe for its plant in Graz, Austria. The plant, which assembles under contract for major manufacturers, produces the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz E-Class/Wagon and the Saab 9-3 Convertible.BMW's Dingolfing, Germany, plant, which produces the BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series, receives the Silver Plant Quality Award, and Porsche's Valmet,Finland, plant, which produces the Cayman and Boxster, receives the Bronze Plant Quality Award.In the Asia Pacific region, Toyota's Higashi-Fuji, Japan, plant, which produces the Lexus SC 430, receives the Silver Plant Quality Award. Toyota's Kyushu, Japan, plant, which produces the Lexus IS 250/IS 350, Lexus RX 330/400h and Toyota Highlander/Highlander Hybrid, and American Honda's Saitama, Japan, plant, which produces the Acura RL, Acura TSX and Honda CR-V, tie for the Bronze Plant Quality Award.